Ranch Station

  New Zealand

• Wellington: 
Wellington

Term: Throughout the year 

Description: Ranch Station
Surrounded by New Zealand's magnificent mountain scenery, this internship brings you to a ranch, or high country station, nestled in the grandeur of the Southern Alps. At 19,000 acres in size, the property has been farmed by four generations of the same family. Here you will live the life of a ranch hand, assisting with all the tasks involved in running this large sheep and beef station. In spring there is the shearing of the sheep to prepare them for the lambing season to follow. The shearing is undertaken by a migrant team of shearers who, until only recently, shore the sheep with blades; now shearing is done by machine.

In the fall, the big muster takes place to bring all the stock down to lower ground to avoid the heavy snowfalls. During the remainder of the year there are general maintenance activities that need attention: building fences, stock maintenance, and the like. There are horses to ride, or, if you prefer the modern transportation option, trail bikes to get around to perform the farm duties. For winter recreation, you are adjacent to a major ski field, and there are many magnificent tracks for hiking. Salmon fishing is possible from October through to February on a river at your doorstep. In the summer months, the station has its own tennis court and swimming pool. There is also an international golf course close by.

This internship is for those wanting a physical challenge and an opportunity to experience the solitude of outback life in some of the most beautiful country in New Zealand. And it remains only a little over two hours away from one of the country's major cities, so there is the opportunity to experience both city life and country life at its best.

Highlights: see above

Qualifications: good health, adventurous spirit

Experience Required: no

Participants Travel to New Zealand Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview
• Resume

Institute for Cultural Ecology's Mission Statement: The Institute for Cultural Ecology was founded on the conviction that visits to exotic destinations imply a commitment to cultural sensitivity and environmental stewardship. Our programs match the interests, academic goals, and passions of the participant to select host organizations and researchers. Once you connect with a place and its people, they become a part of you. Forever.

Year Founded: 1999